Room 002108
by Amoridere
Summary: Ryuuko is sick once again, however, this time the doctor delivers a rather frightening verdict.
1. Intro and the Doctor's Verdict

We all knew about Room 002108, actually, it was Ryuu's hospital room and it was made up nice to feel like a home away from home. Of course, it was to make her less scared, although, after some time, she had grown used to it, having stayed in this room before. Sometimes, she had Sats as a roommate but very seldom did they get released at the same time, actually, illnesses did a worse job with Ryuu than they did her. I would not have expected otherwise seeing as she was younger and, thus, couldn't withstand some of the illnesses that her sister caught. Either way, she'd end up staying in Room 002108.

However, this time was different and she was even more terrified than we were. Having summoned what strength she had less,she was screaming, kicking, and crying, wanting no more than to break away and run-well, urm, uh, crawl- back to her parents. She had heard the doctor's verdict, as did we, and, to be honest, she was reacting as we pretty would have. Be she delinquent or not, she is still a child and acted justly. The doctor had said she would have to stay in the hospital while they run tests on her. He never said how long but he said she would have to stay for a little while. For all we knew, this was the end. When a doctor says someone needs to have tests, odds are it means death.

Once again, she was placed in a wheelchair and wheeled to Room 002108. It took about a few hours for her to calm down but took us less than an hour to pack up some of her things and get her moved in. We stayed with her and held her hand until she had fallen asleep. As we were driving home, I found myself slamming on the brake, when Nui, trying to whisper, said, "She ain't comin' out of there and there is no way in hell they are gonna tell us." We turned to look at her, with Sats saying, "Noogie, don't talk like that!" to which she responded, "Well, why else would the doctor tell us that?! You go in there and, the doctor says you need to stay for some tests, that means you're gonna die."

"Nuh-uh!" Mako interjected, her nose wiggling

"Yes, it does, Mako!"

"Wh-How do you even know, Noogie?!"

" 'Cause doctors are funny that way. They'll tell you you're sick but they may not tell you what besides 'we need to do more tests' or something like that and then-**BOOM!**- you're dead."

"So, your point is?"

"The point is that she's dying and they're keeping it a secret. If anything, they might not do a damn thing about it and just let her die."

"Shut-up, asshole, Ryuuko's not dying! She just needs tests is all and she'll be out in no time!"

"Mako, your optimism will betray you, let that be known, and, Sattie, she traded her health for yours and, in the end, her wish was her sacrifice."

The conversation came to an end when Ragyo tearfully exclaimed, "Enough!" That night was difficult and we couldn't eat dinner and neither could we really sleep, actually, we couldn't sleep without having some sort of nightmare about Ryuu dying and or us holding her funeral. The next morning wasn't any better, as Rei caught Nui trying to drink a bottle of ZzzQuil. The worry had stirred her up and she couldn't seem to calm herself down and regain her composure, so she did what she thought fit. Naturally, to ease the morning, I suggested we'd visit Ryuuko and see how she was doing. It didn't do much but they were curious to see how she was after last night.

We went to visit her and found her asleep still. Of course, she was awake earlier, as, according to the nurses, she had yanked out her IV tubes and they had to put them back in. When she awoke again, she gave us a sad smile, before going back to sleep. Illness has made her tired, less inclined to do much besides to rip out her IV tubes as a subtle way of rebelling. As she slept, the doctor did state that it'd be awhile before the test results come back.


	2. Her Wish Truly Was Her Sacrifice

School didn't go so well in light of Ryuu's illness and hospitalization, especially with the others immediately becoming silent as soon I stepped in the room. They had heard, I knew, and, as soon as I took my place, I could hear their whispers. It was indescernible if they were curious whispers or if they sympathetic, either way, it didn't make things better. The only ones who didn't become silent and then whisper behind my back were my friends.

"So the doctor says she needs tests, what for?" Uzu asked, curious. For a little bit, I hadn't told them much about Ryuu being sick in the hospital but she was sick. It was only today I had told them about why she was in the hospital besides being sick. Of course, I didn't know what she needed tests for besides that she needed to stay for tests. "I don't know, Uz. I just know that she has to stay for tests." I answered, forcing back the intense feelings of sadness and took quick glances here and there before whispering, "She might have...that." Gamagoori looked at her in confusion to which he asked, "Eh-uh, what'd you mean?"

"She might have, you know,...that."

"Nonie, you're going to have to be more specific."

"Yeah!"

"She might have cancer is what I'm trying to say."

"You did not just say that! You never say that word, ever!"

"NONIE SAID THE TABOO WORD!"

"Gamagoori, shut your goddamn mouth! I'm just saying that is what she might be sick with and they want to make sure it **isn't** that."

"Yeah, by the time they find out, the disease will have hit terminal or, to that immediate future, she will have been dead, either way, it will have been too late."

After that conversation, the rest of that day went so horrible that I called my father to come and pick me up early. As we were driving, I broke down and screamed so loud that I was surprised wouldn't shatter glass. Even though it didn't shatter the glass, I knew something else was shattere. My heart. I always had the resolve to protect and take care of my sisters, yet, I had come to realization that I can't always protect them and neither could I really save Ryuu from suffering alone. I suffer knowing she is sick but, in the end, I could never suffer an agonizing illness in which she may not survive.

Her wish truly was her sacrifice.

* * *

><p>She lies waiting<br>Lying in bed, waiting for fate to  
>Roll the dice<p> 


	3. Always

Stuff do not occur much these days, not anymore. So far, I have been yanking IV tubes, as I do not want to spend what remains attached to medicines and machines. I have nothing to lose from that. Nothing and time is borrowed. I am dying at the ripe old age of eight. I suppose there is some good to this, as there is no greater time for redemption for when one is close to death and, while I may not have much time, I, at least, have the sunshine. To be honest, what I'd like the most is to go outside, even if that be in a wheelchair, and, for once, have fun in the sunshine, with everyone and Mom, Mommy especially.

Of course, there isn't much to do here besides yank out IV tubes and listen to the heart monitor beep. I do like visitors, as they make me less lonely but I do wish they could stay. Mom and Dad would hold me until I fell asleep but I would awake the next morning to their absence. I suppose I could dream, that way they'll be with me always.

_Always._

* * *

><p>She told me<br>Sunshine is one of the things that  
>Makes her happy<p> 


	4. Sunshine

Ryuuko hasn't been out of the hospital in a long time but I know deep down she isn't dying. We should remain strong for her, so she'd be less scared. Of course, Noogie tells me that I'm a moron for being optimistic, then again, her chugging cough syrup and Satsuki having a mental nuclear meltdown isn't doing anything. It isn't just those two, as Raggie has spent most of her time on edge and it was hard to tell if she was going to have a spaz attack or another one of her seizures, Shinseiji is really depressed. Rei, oddly enough, stopped drinking, and Soichiro is trying to keep things together. I suppose some of the days with Ryuu not being at home are harder to pretend everything will be alright, especially since we're s'pposed to treat her as though she will live, not act as though the worst is to come.

If she truly is dying, then I think we should just make her happy in her final days. However, thinking of that I remembered what did make her happy. Sunshine. Ryuuko always said that the sunshine made her happy, even though she couldn't remember why, just the fact that it did. I guess that is probably why that was the last thing she said before she lost consciousness. When she was hurt really bad and bleeding on the sidewalk, she was at peace. Of course, for once through the rain clouds, peeked a bit of sunshine.

When she comes home, maybe the sunshine would come back.

* * *

><p>She worries<br>Never at all thinking of anything but the future  
>but she worries<p> 


	5. Worries

Things have been all but nice in light Ryuuko's illness and the fact that we haven't got the test results back, in the meantime, she remaining in the hospital, tied to a room, attached to IVs and machines. She's mostly bedridden, as she prefers sleepiness over being awake and having to deal with how lonely she is, along with the fact that she is thinking of what the results will bring. I do often think about that as much as she does, at the same time, I also worry about everyone else in this regard. From what Rei and Mako said, Satsie has had a thermonuclear mental meltdown and the stress of it all seems to be driving Nui to cope with it through addiction. Of course, she can't seem calm herself down otherwise, however, I have taken to singing songs to her, which do something, not necessarily calm her down, and having Rei put the medicines under lock and key.

It is difficult comforting them, as Satsie hasn't been able to recompose herself and neither has Nui been, leaving us to wonder if they would be better off in the psychward. Ryuuko would die of heartbreak if we admit them to the psychward but we may not have a choice otherwise. I suppose said choice will have had to have been made when Satsie had gone through a fairly violent spaz attack, the which ended on with she and Rei both injured, the latter with a stab wound and the former with a cut. I have never seen this in any of them and I had a very hard time wrapping my head around what **_exactly_** had triggered this. She never did tell us about what happened at school that day her psyche shattered, then again, I don't really know if it'd bring relief.

In light of "knife incident", I took to spending more and more time at the hospital with Ryuu. She welcomes my presence, which is good, since she hasn't anyone to talk to and neither has she been getting too well, actually, her symptoms haven't shown a lot of improvement, then again, they probably wouldn't since Ryuuko has made it a habit of pulling out her IV lines, the which contains her medicines. Of course, why wouldn't she have a reason? She's accepted death as the outcome to her illness and, by that jurisdiction, she believes she has little else to lose. However, whenever she asked how things were going at home, I found I couldn't tell her. She seemed to have become cognizant of that.

* * *

><p>All isn't right<br>She knows this and believes the doctors  
>Are telling lies<p> 


	6. Rei's Suspicions

As time goes on and while she is still sick, I had come to the conclusion that all isn't right. I've been told that Ryuu is in the hospital for tests but something about just that isn't sitting too right. I mean, if she was in there for only tests, wouldn't the test results have come back by now? After all, most of this madness that is going on is because of, well, us not knowing the end result and the fact that she could be dead or damn near dying by the time theso-called "test results" come back. What further makes me question is the fact that, of all the times Ryuu has been hospitalized (which hasn't been very many, not too my recollection), not once has the doctors delivered a verdict of her needing tests. It leads me to think something is up, along with the fact that I should question whether or not the doctors are _**actually**_ treating her illness, instead of putting her on placebos and painkillers, or, rather, if she'd be better off in a different country for treatment, 'cause whatever they are doing, if anything, is doing no good here.

As I mulled over this, while also thinking about the time I had got knifed by "Psycho Sats" (what the hell was she doing with a knife I haven't a clue), I had the clear and simple misfortune of mentioning this aloud. It was heard and everyone was glancing my way, to which Madame promptly asked me to say more, to which I responded, "Okay, but you're not gonna like it and please put Sats in a room where she can't hurt herself or knife someone again. Anyway, if the hospital was really keeping her for tests, then the test results will have come back already and, if not, then something is clearly not right, I mean, if she was really staying for tests, then how come they haven't come back yet? It would take about a month at the most and, by now, it has been about two months and Ryuuko will be nine within two weeks. Her time is borrowed and, instead of blindly going by what the doctors say, why not dig a little deeper? There is clearly something they are not telling you and probably won't unless you make your demands. If that won't be done, then pull her out of there and send her somewhere else 'cause the doctors here are asses. It isn't just that, as they may not really be treating her illness at all, outside of giving her some crapass placebos and painkillers, or, alternatively, she may really just be better off in a hospital from another country, who the hell knows?! Of all the times she has been hospitalized, not once did the doctor deliver this verdict, which means something really isn't right and, unless something is done, Ryuu may not survive past her ninth birthday."

Shaking and turning to Mako, Nui said, "See? I told ya' she was dying and they don't wanna tell us. I told ya', didn't I?" The next day, it seems, Madam and Mister took me up on what I had said and, as they were visiting Ryuu, they went and demanded answers. It is hard to say if it were successful but, then again, maybe it was. I haven't gotten word either way.

* * *

><p>She stares out<br>Of the window, at the sky where  
>The sunshine is<p>

A small smile  
>Creeps upon her face, for once she<br>Is at peace

Even as the  
>World crumbles apart under the<br>Unknown in the

Midst of Illness, Fate, and Death


	7. Peace and Sunshine

The sunshine is out today, although I may be going to a place where it is sunny all the time, if that be allowed. I wondered if, for all of my crimes, theCelestials would forgive me for it. With nothing much going on, along with being tied to this room and looking out at the sunshine, I feel rather peaceful. I'm dying, I know, but Death hasn't arrived yet, although, I am to be alone, then I will have preferred to have to look out of the window, at the sunshine. I think I'm smiling now. I wish the others were visiting at the second so they could see me smiling. Peace and sunshine are what can distract from will claim my life much later.

Funny, why is someone and who is holding my hand?

* * *

><p>Tensions start to<br>Arise over the fate of the child  
>And her best<p>

Chance at survival  
>Should she stay and perish here or<br>Should she leave

This place  
>And go to where it is<br>Alien or does

She have a  
>Best chance in a different facility while<br>her parents play

A game of  
>Roulette with her life, at their painful<br>Expense of their

Own


	8. A Painful Game of Roulette

At Sunnie's recommendation, Mom and Dad decided to try to fight the system, which is proving to be a very bitter fight, as the doctors are giving them a run around with Ryuu's test results. They were playing a bitter game of roulette and, if the bastards at the South Tokyo Bay Hospital had the their way, the game will have been lost, not that will have mattered too much. Of course, Sunnie was right about something not being right, which means she's dying and may not survive past her ninth birthday. The doctors won't tell them the truth and neither will they give them the test results, if there were any.

As Ryuuko was napping and while Ma-koko, Seiji, and I sat with her, our parents were having a very heated argument with the doctors and nurses about her condition. As loud as they were yelling, I thought it was kinda weird that she could sleep trough all that, then again, she slept through those fire crackers blowing up and that one time with the grenade (I had nothing to do with that!). From what I got out of that argument, it ended with Mom, to the point of tears, saying, "You are causing us to play roulette with our baby's life and it is killing us! Either you tell us the test results and treat her accordingly to the illness or have her transferred to a different hospital or one abroad because her being here is doing no good whatsoever~! She will be turning nine is less than ten days and I would like to think of her life passed that! You will have signed her death warrant if you are not treating whatever the hell she has properly and in accordance to such!" I don't recall too much of what the doctor said besides a false promise that Ryuuko's test results would come back and my response of a loud, "That's BULLSHIT!" Motherfuckers. They are just letting her die and the best bet to save her life was to bring her somewhere else.

On the note my exclamation, it didn't wake up Ryuu, which is cool, although I doubt she didn't hear me. After about fifteen minutes and as our mother waswiping away her tears, our parents entered the room. When Mako asked what'd the doctors say, Dad responded with, "We haven't a choice. We have to get Ryuuko out of here and get her some proper treatment." Without wasting any more time, Mom and Dad had arranged to have her transferred to another hospital, one that was abroad. For a little bit, while she receives treatment, Ryuu would be in America. Of course, she wasn't going to be alone, as Mom was going with her. They had left early in the morning, while she would still be asleep. It was better that way, as she was already terrified beyond what we were and the stress from being awake would probably make her symptoms worse. At least, she gets to ride in the airplane.

In light of that, Sats ended up being the one put in Room 002108 and that was of her own volition. I guess it was better that way for Psycho Sats to be hospitalized in where she felt comfortable. For once, in awhile, especially after the knife incident, she started to become a little less psycho. For awhile, we didn't hear of Mom and Ryuu but I guess there are more important things to be had or, rather, maybe Ryuuko died there.

I think I'm gonna go and drink Sunnie's beers now.

* * *

><p>"Oh, hello there, Doctor, did you get the test results back?"<p> 


	9. Clouds Make Way for Sunshine and Worry

We hadn't been here very long and we had managed to obtain a hospital visa so little Ryuu can get treatment. Of course, when she was admitted, the doctor promptly stated that a few tests would have to be done on her but, unlike before, didn't give me a run around, reassuring that the tests will come back in a twenty-four hours at the most. She was asleep when the doctor delivered me that news. To a certain degree, the news brought relief but, at the same time, I had a feeling of nervousness and fear. Some part of me held out hope that what she has won't kill her. As I think about her illness, I do worry about my babies back home, especially Satsuki. Yesterday, Soichiro had called me to tell how things were going and that was when he had informed me that she was hospitalized in Room 002108, where she's started to recover. That does bring me some relief, although I still cannot tell Ryuu about her sisters and their turmoil, not that she would mind, then again, she may've already known.

When the test results did come back, it was a rainy day if I recall and Ryuuko hadn't yet awakened. She preferred sleeping to doing anything else and, the more rest she's had, the better. It was quiet aside from the machines, rain, and her faint but otherwise stable breathing. The doctor had walked in, quietly pulled up a chair, and we sat talking for a while. According to the test results, Ryuu will be able to recover from her illness but she would have some complications in the future, like a form of anemia, along with a low tolerance to illness. He also stated that the tests came back with something that could be cured and that it wasn't cancer, although he did state that it was a mystery as to how her organs didn't fail. She was suffering from an unknown infection which in turn turned into septicemia, causing her own blood to poison her. He did state that Ryuuko would require a course of antibiotics and a blood transfusion, the latter of which my blood proved to be a match for, along with the fact that she'd be allowed to go home once her condition is stabilized enough. He then told me that Ryuu would be delighted.

When she awoke, she asked me if she was dying to which I happily reassured her that she wasn't. As I told her, the rain stopped and the clouds made way for sunshine.

* * *

><p>"When'd ya' think Ryuu will be home?"<p>

"Your mother said she and Ryuu will be home soon."


	10. Relief

The good news seemed to have calmed Satsie's fevered mind, which is good considering what she's been through, and it will be do some good for her to see her. As for Ryuu, it will be just as refreshing to see her sisters and for her to be at home where she can be at ease and recover. Raggie did tell me that Ryuuko is doing nicely in the hospital overseas and the doctors never gave a runaround, along with being very pleasant, even more than willing to engage her in conversation, with she being pleasant with them in turn. Of course, we miss them and they miss us but we know, no matter how we are from one another, we'd always see the same moon and stars. It won't be long before she and Raggie come home and, when they do, all will be right again.


	11. The End

"Hi, Satsie!"

"Ryuu~! It's so good to see you again!"

"I really missed you!"

"I've missed you, too!"


	12. Epilogue

After Ryuu came home, she has had much to talk about but the most important thing is that she is well again or very well close to it, at least for now. As for Sats, she released from the hospital when she was deemed mentally well enough to be at home, although she was put on anti-anxiety medication for a little while. As for Nui, she never did hear the end of it from Mako, whose optimism didn't betray her, even though it almost did, yet she held out hope that it would not. Our mindswere set at ease and Rei drank all of the champagne (asshole). As for us, her parents, we had learned to never so blindly trust what the doctor said, especially when it almost lost Ryuu her life.


End file.
